Protecting device for gauges



Feb. 21, 1928.

W. K. SIMPSON PROTECTING DEVICE FOR GAUGES Filed March 17, 1925 Patented 21, 1928. i. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE wn mim x. sun-reun on wn'rnnnunr, common-r, Assrenon mo normm SPECIALTY column, or warnnnunr, comc'rrou'r, a comm-r1011 or ILLL 24 c This invention relates'to measuring instruments includmg gauges such, for 1nstance, as are used in indicatm pressure or vacuum, andparticularly to t at class of r anism of the gauge resulting from rough and .carelesshandling, especially when it is being shipped and subjected 'to sudden and violent jarrin It is a furtlier object of the invention to so construct a portion of the disarrangement preventing means, and so assemble it with,

the gauge, that it constitutesfa temporary device readily removable prior to installing the gauge for use.

Another object of the invention is to rovide a gauge with certain other di ment preventing means erma ntly attached to, or installed in it, tinuously-functions during the use or life of thegauge. r

Heretofore in the handling and shipping of gauges, not provided with 'disarrange-.

ment preventing means, considerable tron-f ble has been experienced, due to sudden jars and violent concussion while .in transit, which caused the hair spring of the gauge to become disarranged and oftentimes tangled with the pinion on thestafi of the indicator, or its actuating segment. a

In otheninstanoes wherein a gauge of delicate construction, such as shown herewith had avery sensitive Bourdon tube, and of which a nicety of indication. was uired, it has been found that sudden an "violent jarring has caused a disarrangement of the tube, at least sufficiently to impair the accuracy of the auge and require its return to the factory or adjustment.

The present invention contemplates the use of certain simple, and inexpensive devices to prevent the above occurrences, and it will benmderstood that it is not the intention to limit the invention to the precise construction and; arrangement shown herewith as it is ossible to make changes therein without eparting from its spirit and scope- Of the drawings: V Figure 1 represents a face view of one gauge taken on the line 2-2 i sensitive, delicately constructed hich con -indicator staff .19.

'tion of whi 'rsorncrmenavron ron. canons. Application fled m 11, 19:5. lam na. ism.

form of gauge tobwhich'the inventionis It,

applied.

igure 2 is a section of a ortion of the gure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the devices concerned in the nvention. 7

Figure 4 is an enlarged face view of the Bourdon tube spring showing its connections withthe indicator operating mechanism.

- Figure 5- is an enlarged view of certain portions f Fi re 4 looking in the direc-'- tion 'of a ow if F1gure-6 is a top plan view of Figure 5, certain portions being omitted for clearness r re 7 is a detail to bereferred to. 7 e characters represent like arts throughout the several figures of the aw- 1 The. drawin s herewith represent the i veiltlon as app ied to one form of a delicate 76 I auge, but it: will be understood that it may applied to other en es, and similar instruments nipped it pointers and the like at-but slight cost in time and 'labor.

The .casing 10 encloses in usual and well known manner the Bourd'on s ring tube 11, to the free end'of which a lin 12 is pivotally attached, said link being also pivotally connected to an adjustable arin 13 which is secured to a gear segment 14 by means of .screw'15. A

The segment, 1 is fast to a pivot stud 16 which passes th ough .the elongated slot 17 of the adjustable arm' 13, the said se ent meshing with the inion. 18 fast wiii the ivot 16 andstafi19 are rotatable in bearings in the plates 20 and 21,

'see Figure 5 of the drawings, wherein is also here illustrated being" esigned to mdicate' both pressure and vacuum. The hair spring 26, the resence and funcf c is also we known in augee of this type, has as usual one of its en fast 1 relatively wi e stri stance to the revoluble' staff 19, and its other end fast to a stationary part such as the post 27 and islocated' in close proximity to the pinion 18' and segment 14.

Interposed between the pinion 18 and said spring 26 and preferably, but not necessarily, fast to the-shaft 19 is a shield 28 designed to loosely confine the said spring between it and the plate 20, to thus prevent accidental side whippingof the spring and its consequent entanglement with the pinion 18, segment 13,- or between them.

Figure 7 shows a-modified form of shield 28 made in the form of a bridge and arranged to besecured to the plate 20 by suitable fasteningmeans and, having an opening through it to embrace and permit free movement of the staff 19.

The shield above described is a permanent part'of the gauge, and continuously functions as intended, and because of its use, a gauge of this type may be subjected to a considerable'.amount of rough handling and usage without fear of disarranging the spring to the extent of putting the gauge out of commission; which in some instances would be a vry serious mishap.

Another important feature of the invention, and one which is introduced into the gauge during the assembling thereof, and which is intended to remain in place until the gauge is put to use, andthen to be removed is a locking device 30 for the indicator 23.

Said lockin device .is made of a thin and of sheet metal, for incopper rib on stock. It is thin enough to be mounted and clamped in the manner presently described, and preferably is flexible also; While it is wide enough to have substantial stiffness in the directions of its width. This strip is slotted inward from one end at 31 (Fig. 3) and is bent so that the rtions or legs flankin the slot may exten across the pointer an across the plane in which the pointer moves. As here shown, the portions 33 are of a length substantially equal'to the space between the dial 22 and the crystal 32 of the gauge, but this is a detail from which departure may be made. The strip or ribbon is further bent to form .a portion 34 spaced apart from the legs 33 a distance somewhat greater than the shortest distance from the pointer to the adjacent side of the casing, such portion 34 being adapted to lie close to the outer surface of the casing and .to be clamped between the same and the flange or rim 35 of the bezel or ring 36 which holds the crystal in place. Beyond the art 34, the end of theistrip extendsout- "war ly from the rim or flange 35 far enough to form a handle portion whereby it may be grasped and pulled out torelease the pointer...

This lock is applied as shown in Figs. 1 2, with its 5 0t 31 receiving the end of the pointer, its legs 33 embracing such end,

the portion 34 lying against the side wall of the gauge and clampedv between said wall and the encircling flange of the bezel, and .the connecting portlon between the legs 33 part" 34 extending along the under.

thence to embrace and confine the pointer by means of its slotted or forked end.

Being thin, as above stated, the locking strip or ribbon readily passes between theoverlapping parts of the case and cover, even thouglliethese parts are closely fitted together; and, ing flexible, it will, when pulled outward, yield and bend readily and slip through the space in which it is confined.

' Thus 1t may be withdrawn when the gauge is put in operation without requirin the cover of the gaugeto be first taken 0 Atthe same time, it is rigid enough, and is clamped firmly en0ugh,'topreventmovement of" the pointer due to the ars and shocks of rough handling of the gauge, by virtue of the fact that it is wide, that its width extends in the directions in which only the ointer can move, that it is closely confined etween the case and cover, that its length is short between its pointer-engaging and clamped portions, and that it is so confined as would be liable to give it a permanent set,

out of proper position, and so impair its accuracy and displace the pointer from its intended'and correct relation to the dial.

That phase of the invention which is-embodied in the pointer lock is obviously ap.

plicable to various instruments, other than Bourdon spring gauges, which are equipped with indicating hands or pointers and are liable to disarrangement under the conditions hereinbefore referred to. y

Having described the invention I claim:

1. .A measuring instrument comprising a casing, a movable indicating pointer, and a lock engaged in a normally rigid manner with said casing, but ,beingremovable therefrom, and having a forked end embracimg handle portion extending outside of the gauge 'andbeing sufficiently flexible and 'yiel 'ng to permit of removal by pulling -outward on said handle portion.

4. In a measuring instrument having a case, a pointer, mechanism for actuating said pointer, and a cover formed with a flange to coactwvith and overlap the walls of the case, a lock for said. pointer consisting of a ribbon or strip of sheet material passing between and gripped by the overlapping Walls of the case and cover, and projecting thence inwardly into engagement wit 1 the pointer,

said strip having Width and stiifness suificient to prevent movement of the pointer. 5. A measuring instrument comprising a casing; an indicator; means to actuate said indicator; and a. lock for said-indicator comprising a flexible member removably assemled with said casing and arranged to engage said indicator and having a portion extending externally of said casing;

6. A measuring instrument comprising a casing; a cover therefor, an indicator; ac-

tuating means for said indicator; and a looking means for said indicator comprlsmg a I, a strip of thin material arranged to be con= fined between said'cover and said casing and one end thereof arranged to engage said indicator to prevent movement thereof and its other end projecting outside of the casin and 1 providing a hand grip whereby said strip ma be withdrawn from its assembled position to unlock said indicator.

7. In' a measuring instrumenthaving' a case, a pointer, mechanism for actuating said pointer and a cover formed with a flange embracing the walls of the case, a

lock for said pointer consisting of a strip of thin flexible metallic ribbon stock passing between the wall of the case and flange of the cover and gripped thereby, havin one end protruding from the casing an the other end ro ecting gagement with t e pointer.

8. In a measuring instrument having a inward into en- -flexib e metallic ribbon stock cator case, a pointer, mechanism for actuating said pointer and a cover formed with .a ange embracing the walls of the case, a lock for said ointer consisting of a strip of thin assing between the wall of the case and ange of the cover and gripped thereby, having one end protruding from the casing and the other end projecting inward into engagement with the. ointer, said strip having its width exten mg in the same directions as the path of movement of the pointer.

9. In a measuring instrument having a case, a pointer, mechanism for actuating said pointer and a cover formed with a flange embracing the walls of the case, a lock for said pointer; consisting of a strip of' thin flexible metallic ribbon stock assing between the wall of the case and ange of the cover and gripped thereby, having one end protruding from the casing and the other end projecting inward into engagement with the pointer, said strip having its width extending inthe same directions as the path of movement of the pointer and formed 'with separated legs at its inner end embracing the pointer and with a portion between such legs and the gripped part lying close to the overlying part ofthe cover.

10. In a device of the kind described and in combination, an indicating instrument including a casing, a dial, a cover plate, re tainin means for the cover late, an indiand arranged betwee' the dial and cover plate and movable over the dial, and a sealing member extending between said retaining means and casing and within the inner face of the. cover plate to a point adjacent the indicator hand, and thence extended to the dial and resting thereon, said last-mentioned extending portion provided with a slot detachably receiving the indicator hand, said sealing member having a portion extended to the exterior of the casing, whereby the same may be withdrawn without removing the cover plate.

11. A'measuring instrument comprising a casing, a movable indicator therein, means to {actuate said indicator, and a lock enlgaged substantially rigidly with said casing but adapted to be removed therefrom, extending inwardly from the casing into movement-preventing engagement with the indicator.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature.

WILLIAM K. SIMPSON? 

